Apparatus for food processing



v 31, 1939. J. MILLS 9 APPARATUS FOOD PROCESSING Filed Sept. 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l STEAM I 77$ INLET.

EX HA U871 J. MILLS 2,145,2fi8

APPARATUS FOR FOOD PROCESSING Filed Sept. 14, 1936 s Shee'ts-She et 2 5:2, V A 7am IA I 90 '83 l X 14 2 60 7 72 4 [I HH" E 5' Li a Jam, M, 1939. 4 .J. MILLS v 2 145368 APPARATUS FOR FOOD PROCESSING Filed Sept. l4, 1936 3 SheetsSheet 3 (lawful/Mills,

Patented Jan. 3i, lhfih t an APPARATUS FOR FOOD PROGIESSING Application September 14, 1936, Serial No. 100,760

12 Glaims.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine for sterilizing canned food products.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 5 machine for sterilizing canned food products having a header for receiving the open can ends equipped with a valve of improved construction for controlling the vacuumizing and sterilizing of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character which is of simple construction. and which is unlikely to become fouled with the food products during the vacuumizing and sterilizing operations.

Ancillary to the above object, it is a further object of the invention to provide a machine of the above character in whi' 1 the container receiving valve and vacuum creating means may be removed for cleaning with facility.

More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in the construction of machines of the type disclosed in my Patent Nos. 2054.092 and 2,054,093 issued September 15, 1936. In my Patent No. 2054092, a sterilizing and can sealing machine of the continuous operating type is disclosed which comprises generally a rotatively driven drum or turret constructed to progressively receive a plurality of containers which, prior to delivery thereto have been filled with an edible. During the operation of the machine, these containers are brought into engagement with the valve header where fluid communication with the interior of the container is effected. In the early portion of the operating cycle of the .35 turret a partial vacuum is created in the valve header which causes rarification of the gases within the container. In the latter portion of the operating cycle of the turret, steam under pressure is injected into the containers which 40 causes the contents thereof to be violently agitated and heated to a relatively high temperature. In my above-mentioned patent, the mechanism provided to exhaust the air from the containers was connected to a manifold, common to the steam exhaust line, and formed with the conduits which led to each of the valve headers. Steam lines were also connected with each of the headers and exhaust lines led therefrom to an exhaust manifold. The structure fur ther embodied control cams, and operating linkage which was organized to successively actuate steam and vacuum valves within the headers and govern the period during which each of the valves was retained in its open position.

In my Patent No. 2,054,093, which is an im- (ill. J9-251) provement over my Patent No. 2,054,092, a can sealing machine is disclosed in which a partial vacuum is automatically created within each of the headers upon the adjustment of an exhaust steam valve associated therewith. The machine 5 of this patent eliminated the vacuum valves employed in Patent No. 2,054,092, and also the unit for creating a vacuum, the conduits therefor and the operating linkage, thus providing material economy in the production and erection of the 10 machine.

The present invention is a further improvement on the machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,054,093, the improved form of header with its vacuum valve further simplifying the construction of the apparatus and eliminating the steam and vacuum lines employed in that patent. The construction of the present invention is of outstanding advantage in its simplicity, in that there is little likelihood of the working parts of the header becoming fouled, and said parts are so arranged that they are readily available for cleaning, without dismantling the machine.

In the drawings, which are illustrative of a preferred form of the invention and in no sense restrictive:

Figure 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1 disclosing the header construction;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation view of Fig. 2, showing the rotatable drum which carries the valve headers;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the face of the fixed plate carried by the machine frame; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing a container of the type operated upon by the machine of the present invention, and its association with the no valve header.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine is shown as comprising a frame l0 having at the upper end thereof a bushing I2 within which is keyed a hollow shaft I4. Mounted for rotation on the 46 hollow shaft is a turret Hi. The turret is rotated at appropriate speed about the shaft M from the power shaft l6 which is journalled in the lower portion of the frame. Shaft i6 is driven in any suitable manner as by the pulleys 50 i8, and is equipped with a drive pinion 20 which meshes with an idler gear 22, which in turn engages the gear teeth 24 disposed about the periphery of the turret IS.

The turret is provided-on the front face and adjacent the periphery thereof with a plurality of brackets 26, said brackets having mounted thereon a plurality of container supporting platforms 28. Each of the container supporting platforms has attached to the lowerside thereof a plurality of rods 30 which pass through apertures 3| in the brackets 26, said rods being attached to. a block 32 disposed outside of the brackets. Each of theblocks 32 carries a roller 34 which is adapted to engage beneath a cam track 36 carried by the frame during a portion of the cycle of the turret for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The inner end of the bracket 26 is provided with a bore 40, in which bore is positioned a spring 42, the inner end of any suitable clinching devices for permanently sealing the containers. These devices may comprise movable jaws which engage the elevated part 50 of the container top and crimp and force the same under the movable valve member 54 in the manner disclosed in my above-mentioned patent.

- Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the valve headers 56 are shown integrally formed with a housing 58 comprising a rotatable drum, said drum being mounted for rotation upon a shaft 60 which is fixed within the shaft l4, and being driven from turret l6 by means of pins 6| extending from the outer wall of the turret and entering openings 63 in the inner wall of the drum, as shown in Fig. 2.

d m MW" W amaece through an annular plate ll l secured for rotation with the inner face of the rotary drum.

Disposed within each passage til is an ejector comprising a Venturi tube lit, the outer end of said tube being in alinement with and spaced from the inner end of a removable jet member Mill, each of said jet members communicating at their outer ends with the annular chamber t l of the main gas chamber. A passage in connects each of the auxiliary gas chambers it at their inner ends with the respective passages dd, passages tilt joining passages till at points between the jet members iltll and the Venturi tubes 96.

The outer end of the hollow shaft ill is flared outwardly as shown at Mi l, and on the outer face of the flared out portion is fixed a circular plate of the type shown in Fig. 4. The plate tilt has an opening m8 therethrough, said opening extending through an arc of substantially 80. However, this arc may be of shorter or more extended dimension depending upon the duration of lid Till

vacuumizing desired, as will later appear. Plate lfili with its opening ltd forms a plurality of slide valves with plate M and its openings 92.

When the containers are disposed in abutting relation with respect to the valve header as shown in detail in Fig. 5, the extending portion til of the container top will seal with an annular sealing ring lit disposed around the fluid-way lit, and the engagement of the container valve memher h t with the valve member lid of the header will force the container valve member from its seat, and will also move the valve it inwardly against the tension of the spring lit to open the fluid-way tit.

With the containers so disposed, rotation of the turret will cause the opening 32 of a particular valve header to pass the arcuate opening ltd in the fixed plate W6, and gas from the main chamber of the rotary drum will pass through the jet lllt into and through the Venturi tube lit, through the openings 92 and Hill into the exhaust passage lit within the hollow shaft Mi, which passage may connect with a suitable condenser. This "flow will cause a partial vacuum in the passage lllil. creating a suction in the auxiliary chamber iii, which in turn will draw gases from the interior of the container through the fiuidway lit. it being understood that during this portion of the cycle the container valve and header valve will be in open condition.

It will be noted that the arcuate opening Mill is in the lower portion of the fixed plate tilt, so that the vacuumization of the containers will take place when the latter are in right side up position.

After the particular passage 92 in the rotary plate mt has traversed the arcuate opening MB in the fixed plate tilt, the flow of gas through the Venturi tube M will cease, and the gas from the main reservoir will then flow through the jet Mill, passage lllt, auxiliary chamber it, and through the fluid-way tit into the container.

It will be apparent from Fig. 4 that at this stage of the cycle, the containers will be approaching a position in which the contents will have arisen to a point adjacent the container opening 52, but the inrush of steam will prevent any flow of the container contents into the auxiliary chamber '56.

The flow of steam into the container will continue during the subsequent rotation of the drum, and as the container is being gradually turned to bottom-side-up position, the steam or gas will pass into and through substantially all parts of the liquid in the container and causing a violent agitation of said liquid, resulting in a rapid increase in temperature of the contents and thor ough sterilization. When a particular container is rotated through the sterilizing cycle and is brought to position on the lower part of the cycle where it is to be discharged as shown in Patent No. 2,054,092, the roller El i will engage beneath the cam track. iii? withdrawing the container from abutting engagement with its respective valve header, at which time the pressure of the steam within the container will cause the closing of the container valve member til. The pressure of steam within the chamber l6 and the action of spring lit will move the valve iii to close the fluid way t2 when the container is removed, thus preventing escape of steam.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the circular plate lid carried by the rotary drum will be held in intimate engagement with the outer,

face of the fixed plate Hit by a spring lid which engages at its inner end around a hub Ililli of the rotary drum, said. spring being retained at its outer end by a follower llti mounted upon the pin lit secured to the outer end of the fixed shaft Follower M6 abuts against a thrust bearing ldil which is carried by thepin t id. Suitable packing it??? may be provided around the shaft till where it provides a journal for the rotary drum, thus preventing leakage of gas along the shaft.

It will be apparent that by reason of the ramovability of the cap til on the valve header, the valve it may be removed for cleaning the same and also for cleaning of the interior of the auxiliary gas chamber l6. Furthermore, reierring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that removable end plates lilt are provided in alinement with each of the jet members it'd, so that upon removal of the end plates [lit the jet members and Venturi tubes 95 may be removed for cleaning.

While the operation of the machine will be apparent from the above description, a brief summary of the same is as follows:

me containers of the type disclosed in Fig. 5 will be fed to the platforms it while a particular platform is near the lower end of the cycle, and prior to the time that the opening ii? of the particular valve header is in registry with the arcuate opening act in the fixed plate Milli. When a container is fed to a platform 28, the same will be in retracted position by reason of the engagement of the roller 36 with the cam tract; tit Subsequent rotation of the drum will remove roller ti l from track 3d at which time the spring it will elevate the container into abutting engagement with the face of the valve header. At this time, both the container valve and header valve will be in open condition as illustrated in Fig. 5, and further rotation of the turret will bring the passage 92 into registry with the opening tilt, and during the traversing of opening the by passage 92, the flow of gas through the Venturi tube will cause a partial vacuumizing of the container by the withdrawal of gases therefrom. Further rotatlon of the turret will result in the closing of the passage d2, after which time the steam will pass into the container to sterilize the contents. The sterilization will continue until the particular container is on the downward side of the cycle. at which time the engagement of roller 34! with cam track 36 will retract the container and permlt the closing of the container valve under pressure of steam or other gas within the container. The containers will then be removed from the platform 28, and subjected to the permanent closing operation in the manner previously referred to.

It will be apparent that various modification of the construction and manner of operation herein disclosed may be made without departing from the invention.

I claim:-

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a fixed plate having an opening therein, a rotary turret including a drum mounted for rotation on said frame, said drum comprising an annular main chamber filled with gas at all times and a rotary plate which engages said fixed plate, a plurality of valve headers on said drum, each header including an auxiliary gas chamber constantly in communication with the main gas chamber through a gas inlet in said header, and a container engaging valve, a plurality of container supporting platforms on said turret, means for moving said platforms during rotation of said turret to engage the open ends of the containers with said valves to open the same, means included in said drum for creating suction in said containers through said valves and operating means for said suction creating means including an opening in said rotary plate at each of said headers, said openings registering with the opening in said fixed plate to successively vent the gas from each of said auxiliary gas chambers during a portion of the rotation of said turret, to create suction in said containers through said valve.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a fixed plate having an opening therein, a rotary turret including a drum mounted on said frame, a valve header on said drum, a gas inlet to said header, a wall of said header including a plate engaging said fixed plate and having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said fixed plate during a portion of the rotation of said turret, mechanism on said turret for supporting a container in abutting engagement with said header, a valve in said header for eflecting communication between the header and the container, and means within said header for creating a partial vacuum therein when said openings are in register.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a fixed plate having an opening therein, a rotary turret including a drum mounted on said frame, a valve header on said drum, a gas inlet to said header, a wall of said header including a plate engaging said fixed plate and having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said fixed plate during a portion of the rotation of said turret, mechanism on said turret for supporting a container in abutting engagement with said header, a valve in said header for effecting communication between the header and the container, and means within said header comprising a Venturi tube and a steam jet for creating a partial vacuum therein when said openings are in register.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a fixed plate having an opening therein, a rotary turret including a drum mounted for rotation on said frame, said drum comprising an annular main chamber filled with gas at all times and a rotary plate which engages said fixed plate, a plurality of valve headers on said drum, each header including an auxiliary gas chamber constantly in communication with the main gas chamber through a gas inlet in said header, and a container engaging valve,

a plurality of container supporting platforms on said turret, means for moving said platforms during rotation of said turret to engage the open ends of the containers with said valves to open the same, means included in said drum for creating suction in said containers through said valves and operating means for said suction creating means including an opening in said rotary plate at each of said headers, said openings registering with the opening in said fixed plate to successively vent the gas from each of said auxiliary gas chambers during a portion of the rotation of said turret, to create suction in said containers through said valve, the construction and arr'angement of said valve headers being such that gas is forced under pressure from said chambers into the containers during subsequent rotation of said turret and when said openings are out of register.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a fixed plate having an opening therein, a rotary turret including a drum mounted on said frame, a valve header on said drum, a gas inlet to said header, a wall of said header including a plate engaging said fixed plate and having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said fixed plate during a portion of the rotation of said turret, mechanism on said turret for supporting a container in abutting engagement with said header, a valve in said header for effecting communication between the header and the container, and means within said header for creating a partial vacuum therein when said openings are in register, the construction and arrangement of said valve header being such that gas is forced under pressure from said header into the container when said openings are out of register.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a fixed plate having an opening therein, a rotary turret including a drum mounted on said frame, a valve header on said drum, a gas inlet to said header, a wall of said header including a plate engaging said fixed plate and having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said fixed plate during a portion of the rotation of said turret, mechanism on said turret for supporting a container in abutting engagement with said header, 8. valvein said header for effecting communication between the header and the container, and means within said header comprising a Venturi tube and a steam jet for creating a partial vacuum therein when said openings are in register, the steam from said jet passing into the container through said header valve to sterilize the contents thereof when said openings are out of register.

'7. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a horizontal shaft and a fixed plate having an opening therein, a turret mounted for rotation on said shaft, said turret including a drum comprising an annular main chamber filled with gas at all times and a rotary plate which engages said fixed plate, a plurality of valve headers on said drum, each header including an auxiliary gas chamber constantly in communication with the main gas chamber through a gas inlet in said header, and a container engaging valve, a plurality of container supporting platforms on said turret, means for moving said platforms during rotation of said turret to engage the open ends of the containers with said valves to open the same, means included in said drum for creating suction in said containers through said valves and operating means for aiaaaaa said suction creating means including an opening in said rotary plate at each of said headers, said openings registering with the opening in said fixed plate to successively vent the gas from each of said auxiliary gas chambers when said chambers are at the lower portion of the cycle of rotation of said turret, to create suction in said containers through said valve.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a horizontal shaft and a fixed plate having an opening therein, a turret mounted for rotation on said shaft including a drum, a valve header on said drum, a gas inlet to said header, a wall of said header including a plate engaging said fixed plate and having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said fixed plate when said header is at the lower portion of the cycle of rotation of said turret, mechanism on said turret for supporting a container in abutting engagement with said header, a valve in said header for eiiecting communication'between the header and the container, and means within said header for creating a partial vacuum therein when said openings are in register.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame including a horizontal shaft and a fixed plate having an opening therein, a turret mounted for rotation on said shaft, said turret including a drum, a valve header on said drum, a gas inlet to said header, a wall of said header including a plate engaging said fixed plate and having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said fixed plate when said header is at the lower portion of the cycle of rotation of said turret, mechanism on said turret for supporting a container in abutting engagement with said header, a valve in said header for effecting communication between the header and the container, and means within said header comprising a Venturi tube and a steam jet for creating a partial vacuum therein when said openings are in register.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame having a rotary turret including a drum mounted thereon, said drum comprising an annular main chamber filled with gas, a plurality of valve headers on said drum, each header including an auxiliary gas chamber, said headers each having a container engaging valve, a plurality of container supporting platforms on said turret, means for moving said platforms during rotation of said turret to engage the open ends of the containers with said valves to open the same, and means for venting the gas from each of said aumliary chambers at high velocity during a portion of the rotation of said turret, to create suction in said containers through said container engaging valve, including a slide valve which opens to vent the gas from said auxiliarygas chambers, said slide valve including a valve member on said frame and a cooperating valve member on said drum at each of said headers.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame having a rotary turret including a drum mounted thereon, said drum comprising an annular main chamber filled with gas, a plurality of valve headers on said drum, each header including an auxiliary gas chamber, said headers each having a container engaging valve, a plurality of container supporting platforms on said turret, means for moving said platforms during rotation of said turret to engage the open ends of the containers with said valves to open the same, means for venting the gas from each of said auxiliary chambers at high velocity during a portion of the rotation of said turret, to create suction in said containers through said container engaging valve, including a slide valve which opens to vent the gas from said auxiliary gas chambers, said slide valve including a valve member on said-frame and a cooperating valve member on said drum at each of said headers, and means for urging said slide valve members into engagement with one another.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame having a rotary turret including a drum mounted thereon, said drum comprising an annular main chamber filled with gas, a plurality of valve headers on said drum, each header including an auxiliary gas chamber, said headers each having a container engaging valve, a plurality of container supporting platforms on said turret, means for moving said platforms during rotation of said turret to engage the open ends of the containers with said valves to open the same, and means for venting the gas from each of said auxiliary chambers at high velocity during a portion of the rotation of said turret, to create suc tion in said containers through said container engaging valve, including a slide valve which opens to vent the gas from said auxiliary gas chambers, said slide valve including a valve member on said frame and a cooperating valve member on said drum at each of said headers, said slide valve closing to terminate the venting of gas from each of said auxiliary gas chambers during a subsequent portion of the rotation of said turret, whereby gas is forced under pressure from said auxiliary gas chambers through their container engaging valves into the containcrs.

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